Futaiji Temple Statues 不退寺の仏像
Official explanation
Futaiji Temple has multiple wooden statues of Buddhist deities that date to the Heian period (794–1185). The temple’s principal object of veneration is its statue of Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion. According to legend, the 1.9-meter katsura wood statue was carved by poet and aristocrat Ariwara no Narihira (825–880), the founder of Futaiji, as a representation of his ideal woman. Until the Meiji era (1868–1912), the statue was kept hidden. According to the Washūji-shaki, a record from the late 1600s, the statue was seen only by the chief priest, who was allowed to glimpse it just once during his tenure.
Although legend indicates the statue is a ninth-century creation, elements of the statue’s design suggest it was carved a century later. These elements include the figure’s large topknot, flowing locks, and the sharply ridged folds of the robe. The broad ribbons on either side of its crown are another notable design element. While much of the paint has now flaked off, revealing the wood beneath, the statue was originally painted with a white base and brightly colored floral designs. The statue underwent extensive conservation work in 2022 to stabilize its peeling pigments and address discoloration at its joints.
Read the full explanation
Futaiji’s main hall also houses five statues of the Five Wisdom Kings, or Myō-ō. Unlike the peaceful, placid expressions of other Buddhist statuary, the wrathful faces of these deities express their fury at the worldly delusions that lead people away from the path of Buddhism. Each statue is made from multiple pieces of hinoki cypress wood. The five deities depicted are Gundari Myō-ō, Gōzanze Myō-ō, Fudō Myō-ō, Kongōyasha Myō-ō, and Daiitoku Myō-ō.
These statues are thought to have been carved between the 900s and 1100s, but the inlaid crystal eyes of the Fudō Myō-ō statue (the frontmost statue on the right) were added later, during the Kamakura period (1185–1333).
The five Myō-ō statues were once kept in their own individual hall (called kondō) before being consolidated in the main hall. Of the five statues, only Fudō Myō-ō sits atop a flat plinth with a traditional flaming mandorla. It is thought that the other four statues were placed atop boulder-shaped pedestals during repairs in 1914.
Kannon
This wooden statue of Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion, is the principal image of veneration at Futaiji Temple. This 1.9-meter statue is said to have been carved by poet and aristocrat Ariwara no Narihira (825–880), the founder of Futaiji. It is thought to represent his image of the feminine ideal, a notion that is supported by the uncommonly long, flowing ribbons on either side of the statue’s head.
Scientific evidence indicates that the statue was likely carved in the early part of the Fujiwara cultural period (897–1185). It was originally painted with a white base pigment and brightly colored floral designs. Kannon is portrayed holding a lotus flower, which represents the blossoming of enlightenment.
Myō-ō (Five Wisdom Kings)
To either side of Kannon are statues of the Myō-ō, or Five Wisdom Kings. From left to right, they depict:
Daiitoku Myō-ō
Kongōyasha Myō-ō
Fudō Myō-ō
Gōzanze Myō-ō
Gundari Myō-ō
All five statues are thought to have been carved in the Fujiwara cultural period (897–1185), but the inlaid crystal eyes of the Fudō Myō-ō statue were likely added a century or more later. The statue of Fudō Myō-ō can be identified by its swirling flames and flat, square plinth. The mask worn backward by Gōzanze Myō-ō, the statue back and to the right, is rarely seen in depictions of the deity, and its greater meaning is unknown.
Other Statuary
The west side of the main hall houses a statue of Prince Abo (792–842), the father of Ariwara no Narihira (825–880), who founded Futaiji Temple. The statue is thought to have been carved between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries. A Heian-period (794–1185) statue of the bodhisattva Jizō shares the central altar with Kannon and the Five Wisdom Kings.
出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.
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